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What’s Been On Your Calendar? Montreal and Quebec City

Retirement Reflections


Regular readers know that Richard and I decided to spend our vacation dollars in our own country, Canada. For a 12-day March break, we headed to Montreal and Quebec City. Although the weather was even colder than we had imagined it would be, the incredible sights and experiences more than made up for it. Getting it out of the way first, let’s start with….

THE WEATHER

The daytime high temperatures typically ranged from -7°C to -22°C. There was one day that reached +6°C, but with the rain and windchill, it didn’t feel any warmer than the others. The air was crisp and fresh, and the scenery was stunning. We had absolutely no regrets about choosing this March destination.

THE SCENERY

Everywhere that we went the scenery was stunning. Shout out to Janis and Suzanne who recommended we visit Montmorency Falls. It was incredible to witness!

THE ACTIVITIES

We kicked off Day 1 at Bota Bota, Spa-sur-l’eau in Montreal. Built on a boat, this unique floating spa offers an expansive water circuit with saunas, steam baths, hot tubs, cold pools, and relaxation areas, all overlooking the St. Lawrence River and Old Montreal. The spa also features a restaurant and a range of services, from massages to facials and body treatments. We didn’t think it could get much better than this—honestly, what could?

But Montreal’s Biodôme, Museum of Fine Arts, La Grande Roue (the observation wheel), its vibrant downtown, beautiful parks, charming shops, and stunning libraries did not disappoint. Neither did Quebec City’s Old Town, Citadelle, Plains of Abraham, museums, Quartier Petit Champlain, and the Château Frontenac’s thrilling toboggan slide, among other incredible sights.

And the basilicas in both cities? Absolute must-sees.

THE FOOD

Staying in Home Exchanges with full kitchens gave us the luxury of preparing most of our own breakfasts and dinners, allowing us to explore local grocery shops for fresh ingredients. We managed a good balance of healthy, tasty, and UPF-free meals—but we couldn’t resist sneaking in a poutine and a smoked meat sandwich from the famous Schwartz’s Deli.

THE HOME EXCHANGES

We have done much travel by home exchange since 2007. Our two exchanges on this trip were amazing—centrally located, well-equipped, and hosted by attentive and welcoming homeowners. This truly enhanced our overall experience while significantly cutting down expenses.

Montreal
Quebec City

With breathtaking scenery and much to see and do, our March adventure was everything we had hoped for—and more. Despite the cold, the warmth of the people in these incredible cities made this trip unforgettable. We’d love to return again (perhaps in the summer next time). 😀

Have any questions about the photos above? Feel free to ask in the comments!

That was our March 2025 highlight. What has been on your calendar this past month?

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Cohosts: Debbie, Jo, Sue, Donna.

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Published by Retirement Reflections

Prior to retirement, I lived and worked in Beijing China for fourteen years (Middle School Principal/Deputy Director at The Western Academy of Beijing). Leaving international life behind, my husband and I retired to Vancouver Island in June 2015. To document both this transition and our new adventures, ‘Retirement Reflections’ was born. I hope that you enjoy reading these reflections, and will be willing to share your own.

86 thoughts on “What’s Been On Your Calendar? Montreal and Quebec City”

  1. When I was a teenager my family went on vacation to these two cities. I remember enjoying them. I was from a small midwest town so they seem sophisticated, which of course they are, but maybe more so to me at that age. It was the first time I’d heard a *foreign* language spoken. French for the win. Someday, depending on what The Donald does next, I’d like to visit them again.

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    1. Hi, Ally – I’m glad you’ve had a chance to see Quebec. It’s been more than 40 years since I was there last. In my previous visit, most people spoke French. On this visit, everyone spoke Engish to Richard and me (which was fabulous because my French is very rusty)! 😀

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  2. Looks like you had a wonderful time, Donna despite the extreme temperatures. We loved Quebec City and staying in the Old Town reminded me of staying in a French City. I even practiced my school girl French. We haven’t been to Montreal although my son-in-law has a friend who moved from Australia to there about 10 years ago when he married a girl from Montreal. Thanks for sharing at this month’s #WBOYC? Isn’t it a wonderful time of life to be able to travel and explore. x

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    1. Thanks, Sue – I’m glad that you and Mike were able to explore Quebec City. Staying right in Old Town would be fabulous. You are so right that being able to travel when we want at this part of life is such a privilege — one for which I am constantly grateful! Of course, as soon a we got back home, Richard was already wanting to plan our next trip! 😀

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  3. Donna, you have mirrored our visit to Quebec last November in many ways. We saw the toboggan, but it wasn’t operating when we were there. But, we did tour the Christmas Tree display and have drinks inside the hotel. The falls are amazing. I’m glad you made the journey out there. Morgan and I went to a similar spa in Quebec. We were warmly greeted by everyone, in English, which was surprising, but welcome. Our French is obominable. I would love to return at almost any time of year. Captivating atmosphere. Glad you had a good time.

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    1. Hi, Suzanne – That’s awesome that our trips mirrored each other so much – except for the month. Despite the cold, March was a great time to visit — there was so much to see and do. And everyone spoke English to us as well. I totally did not expect that! 😀

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  4. That weather was brisk, wasn’t it? Still, looks as though you had a wonderful time.

    On this homebody’s March calendar was writing, reading, eating out, movies, and friends. All things I love. Even with our horror of a government, life goes on.

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  5. Looks like you had a fabulous trip, Donna. I love Montreal and Quebec City. I was there last summer. I love all your photos and spotted the Leonard Cohen mural in the second gallery. Stunning scenery even in the snow. Elbows up! I’ll join the WBOYC link-up tomorrow.

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    1. Hi, Jo – I am usually a wimp about cold weather as well. We get very little snow in Central Vancouver Island and the temperatures seldom drop below 0C. But I was prepared with an extra warm coat, extra warm boots, scarf, hat, mittens, snow pants and heat packs for my gloves and boots. Surprisingly, I was often quite toasty! ❤

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  7. The murals are magnificent, I love the hidden view one. And the waterfall is very special.Those snow streets look spectacular. Great trip! #WBOYC

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by. I was thrilled to see the amazing murals. We actually saw, and photographed more, but I didn’t want to post too many photos here and have viewers eyes glaze over! 😀 Except for the one day of rain, it was snowy streets everyday. I hate to admit it outloud, but that really added to the beauty and the charm!

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    1. People who have known me for ages were shocked that I decided to go to Quebec in March. I am usually a huge baby about weather any colder than +1C (and even that is not my choice). But I have lived in Ottawa and Beijing, both with cold winters….although I had buried most of those winters deep in my memory! ❤

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  9. Hi Donna – oh I loved these pictures. Looks like you and Richard had a great time despite the cold. I’ve always thought there was something exciting about experiencing super cold weather, although I do like to be warm – ha ha! It’s so interesting that you mentioned poutine because my husband and I were just talking about it last night! It is gaining traction in popularity here, although I haven’t tried it yet.

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    1. Hi, Barbara – Although poutine is always touted as a very Canadian thing, I had never tried it before either. Poutine was on almost every menu that we saw in Quebec, so we couldn’t leave without trying it. There are so many different versions – but we went with the traditional and were not disappointed. I hope that you and your husband give it a try!

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  10. Hello from Australia and thank you for allowing us to travel with you. Extremely interesting for me as I have never had the chance to visit either of the cities. And did not realize Vancouver Island had as temperate a climate as you state! Seems almost the same in the winter months for me 100 kms S of Sydney – wonder how warm your summer daytimes normally get? Glad the ‘Home Exchanges’ worked so well for you – gave you more economical and quieter stays. Love the photos – my favorite probably being of the Montmorency Falls – perchance one day . . .

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    1. Hi, Eha – Victoria, BC (less than a two hour drive from our home) is reputed to be the warmest winter city in Canada. Our weather in Central Vancouver Island is very similar to theirs. In summer (July & August) average daytime highs are typically in the low 20C (70F) range with a Mediterranean-like dryness. But in July 2021 we had an incredible heatwave, with temperatures in our small city reaching 40.3C (104.5F). Like many homes in our area, we didn’t have airconditioning. That was a real drag! 😀

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      1. Thank you – as I am a bit of a ‘weather nut’ I DO appreciate the information. Australia being as large as it is I can only speak for around the Sydney area – we are way more into the high 20s to middle 30s with regular forays into days of 40C + and summer is also our storm season – nought but rain this year > well, that meant no bushfire threats 🙂 !

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      2. Hi, Eha – Weather fascinates me as well. We are currently in our rainy season which is annoying when we are trying to do outdoor activities….but is later appreciated as our summer are usually filled with severe water use restrictions!

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  11. Hi Donna – I enjoyed following along with your adventure on Facebook – seeing it all put together here just reminds me of how cold it all was and how people live like that all their lives! +6C would be a “freezing” temp for where I am – and it rarely gets that low. Mind you it’s been +35C again for the last week and I must admit to being a little over Summer…. roll on Autumn!

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    1. Hi, Leanne – When Richard and I returned home from this trip we were sure that we would be greeted by warm, springtime temperatures. Sadly, it wasn’t so. Our weather has been rainy most days since our return. But there was no rain today, and our daytimes high have been 13C. So I am now like you in reverse. I am totally over the wet and cool weather and am impatiently waiting for Spring to roll in with full force! ❤

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  12. This was an amazing trip to follow along with Donna and your post is the icing on the cake. What a beautiful area and even though the weather was cold you it sounds like you coped with it well. It won’t be that cold when we visit you in September/Oct will it?

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    1. Absolutely no worries, Deb. Our weather never gets as cold here as in does in Quebec. For your visit you can expect average temperatures to be around 16-18C (60-65F) in September and 10C (50F) in October.  Autumn is an awesome time to visit here! ❤

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  13. Donna, your post as well as being great to read, is visually beautiful. Your photos are like postcards, especially the street scene with the red shop fronts. I’m not sure why, but it reminded me immediately of Little Women. Also, that food! While we are eating mostly salads in the warm weather, your food looks like the comfort food that I’m craving. Who says good food can’t be made interesting and yum!

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    1. Thanks, Jen – I got lucky with that street in Old Montreal with the red shop fronts. It was the one rainy day, so the building colours were extra vibrant. Probably also due to the rain, no one was on that street but us. Perfect photo moment! ❤

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  14. Looks like a great trip – it is so long since I have experienced snow I don’t really want to do so again…..With two great nephews at university in Montreal it would be a good excuse to visit.

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    1. Hi, Barbara – With two great nephews at university in Montreal, it would be an excellent time to visit…and you could avoid the snow by travelling in our spring or summer. In the ‘Activities’ section above, there is a photo of Richard with a young man. That is Richard’s great nephew, Joseph, who is also in university in Montreal. This is the first time that we had seen Joseph since he was born. The visit was very special!

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  17. What a gorgeous winter wonderland. It was June when we visited both Montreal and Quebec City (as well as several other eastern Canadian cities) back in 2016 and I can assure you that it was much warmer :). I’m so glad that you made it to Montmorency Falls! I was amazed at the volume – and the sound – of water flowing over the ledge. On the same road trip in 2016, we later visited Niagra Falls… very different.

    I hope that one of these days, you will want to visit the US again, but I 100% support your decision to keep your money at home. Elbows Up!

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    1. Hi, Janis – Thank you again for the recommendation to visit Montmorency Falls. Yes, it is incredibly different than Niagara Falls (and is higher). I am so glad that we didn’t miss it! I’m looking forward to catching up with you soon.

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  18. When my daughter lived in the Hudson River Valley of New York, we took a trip to Montreal. It’s a stunning, and culturally rich city. We enjoyed our city tour, including the gorgeous interior of Notre Dame at Easter, and ate our way around the city, including some incredible poutine.

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  19. Hi Donna, you made the most of the experience and opportunities sought out. That is the best way to traverse life and find happiness. The frozen waterfall is astonishing. We are expecting to visit Netherlands and Belgium in July. Michael will come and experience the art galleries.

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  21. Both cities are on our bucket list! Thanks so much for sharing so many details with us all, Donna! I loved all of your photos, too – especially the waterfall! One of our favorite places is the North Shore of Lake Superior and there are many waterfalls my husband loves to photograph. They always look different. Such beauty!

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    1. Hi, Laura – Montreal and Quebec City are definitely bucket-list-worthy! I’ve been to the Canadian side of the North Shore of Lake Superior and loved the rugged terrain, steep forested valleys, and mix of rocky cliffs and cobblestone beaches. 😀

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  22. Canada is truly a diverse & beautiful country. Winter holidays in the cold & snow are not on my bucket list; kudos to you. It is said the difference between a good & bad winter day is the right clothing! March has been full with fun & serious notes. It started with a house concert at friends’ Dank & Musty basement, decorated like an English pub. You can check out their talent on their youtube channel, Ebon Fae. The next bit of fun was an overnight visit when 5 of 9 cousins gathered. Now the serious stuff. A family member experienced a medical emergency – a ruptured aorta! How does anyone survive that?! And yet she has. That prompted 2 trips to the CICU with her partner. Old nursing skills were called into play as I tended to a friend who had her 2nd hip replacement. A country girl can survive condo living in downtown Edmonton! Needless to say, the quiet of the past week at home was welcomed. There was 48Km of boots to the ground, enjoying spring temps. There’s a spring storm outside the windows today. Now add mom’s estate business to the mix. A holiday would be welcome. My next big Canadian vacation will be a St. Lawrence riverboat cruise.

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    1. A St. Lawrence riverboat cruise sounds fabulous, and very well deserved! I am so sorry to hear about the medical emergencies. I am glad that all survived and that you were able to use your nursing skills and help. I am off to look up Ebon Fae on Youtube now. Thank you for the recommendation.

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  24. I have been to Montreal but not Quebec City – we thought of combining the two, but instead added on a trip to Nova Scotia. If I return to North America it will definitely be to Canada and not that other place, so I might get to Quebec City eventually. I spotted my beloved Leonard Cohen peeping out at me – I would love to see that in person some day, so a return to Montreal would be good too.

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  26. Gorgeous piccies, Donna – thank you so much for taking us along! I’ve been relistening to all Louise Penny’s books so many of the places you visited are familiar. One question: What are “UPF-free meals”? Thanks again!

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      1. Thank you for defining this, Donna! Since my query to you I’ve also looked it up.

        Having avoided highly processed foods for years, I’ve been on the alert for “Contains bioengineered ingredient(s).” Have encountered this even in ice cream with just 5 ingredients (milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, eggs) and sold as “Premium” and “Healthful.” 😵‍💫

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      2. Absolutely! Foods in a package with BOLD health claims on the label (fat free, sugar free, bla bla bla) are usually the worst. Checking the back label carefully is time-consuming but very, very helpful.

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  27. Oh wow; that looks wonderful! I haven’t been to Montreal/Quebec in well over 15 years now but I absolutely loved it. We went in summer though… I’m not sure I’d handle those cold temps so well. But that ice slide does look incredible!

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  28. Sounds like a great trip. A few years ago, I was in Montreal in the winter too although it was not too cold. I loved it (I’m a huge wimp when it comes to cold. And coming from Alberta that is odd!) I loved wandering around downtown and I had to try the bagels. They were as good as everyone says they are! I have not been to Quebec City but would love to visit. The food you had looks so good.

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  29. The pictures are lovely with the snow on the streets! No large banks of dirty snow (what we see here)! I was to Quebec when I was a child but don’t remember much about it. It looks wonderful!

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    1. Hi, Liesbet – We didn’t meet any of our sons on this trip (they live in Sooke, Vancouver and Hong Kong). But we did meet with Richard’s great newphew, Joseph. We haven’t seen Joseph since he was born (and then called Joey). It was a wonderful meetup!

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  31. What an great vacation. The Montmorency Falls look amazing. The home exchange is a good idea but I confess I would be nervous letting strangers loose in our home especially if they had children. Can you specify retired couples only? Did you lock up part of your house?

    Good for you supporting your country and vacationing within Canada.

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    1. Hi, Carole – Richard and I have been members of Home Exchange since 2007 and have literally stayed in more than 100 exchange homes during those 18 years. We love this form of travel. While there are always horror stories with any form of accommodation, we have honestly only had positive experiences both as guests and as hosts. You definitely can specify what works best for your home (e.g. no children, no smokers, no pets, no parties, etc etc). That’s one of the many beauties of HE. It is not AirBnB or a hotel. It’s your home and you determine the guidelines/expectations. We do look off my walk in closet — but that’s mostly for cleaning purposes as it gives me a place to shove things during last minute cleanup) 😀

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  32. You guys always go on the best trips, Donna! I’m not surprised it was so cold, March was crazy for its wild swings in temps! Home Exchanges are a great idea! We may be exploring that idea for ourselves in the future. I’ll join your link up tomorrow 🙂

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  33. Pingback: This week’s small pleasures #433 – Thistles and Kiwis

  36. Donna,

    I agree wholeheartedly with the comment above–your pictures are like postcards. The quaint and charming downtown scenes are lovely, and the food–divine. Thanks for taking us along. Helen and I returned to Tennessee on Saturday to discover spring in full bloom. Have a great week! Joe

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